May 2009 is Southland Conference Month at AGS! Read the "fact a day"!

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5/1

Central Arkansas
Estes Stadium capacity 8,500.
Location: Conway, Arkansas
Enrollment: 12,619
Founded: 1908
Colors: Purple and Gray
Nickname: Bears
Joined Southland: 2006 (2007 - 1st year with SLC schedule)

McNeese State
Cowboy Stadium Capacity 17,410
Location: Lake Charles, Louisiana
Enrollment: 8,800
Founded: 1939
Colors: Blue and Gold
Nickname: Cowboys
Joined Southland: 1972

Nicholls State
Guidry Stadium Capacity 10,500
Location: Thibodaux, La.
Enrollment: 6,814
Founded: 1948
Colors: Red and Gray
Nickname: Colonels
Joined Southland: 1990

Northwestern State
Turpin Stadium Capacity 15,971
Location: Natchitoches, Louisiana
Enrollment: 9,037
Founded: 1884 (as Louisiana Normal School)
Colors: Purple and White
Nickname: Demons
Joined Southland: 1987

Sam Houston State
Bowers Stadium Capacity 14,000
Location: Huntsville, Texas
Enrollment: 16,416
Founded: 1879
Colors: Orange and White
Nickname: Bearkats
Joined Southland: 1987

Southeastern Louisiana
Strawberry Stadium Capacity 7,408
Location: Hammond,
Enrollment: 15,118
Founded: 1925
Colors: Green and Gold
Nickname: Lions

Stephen F. Austin
Homer Bryce Stadium Capacity 14,575
Location: Nacogdoches, Texas
Enrollment: 11,607
Founded: 1923
Colors: Purple and White
Nickname: Lumberjacks
Joined Southland: 1987

Texas State
Bobcat Stadium Capacity 17,410
Location: San Marcos, Texas
Enrollment: 27,503
Founded: 1899
Colors: Maroon and Gold
Nickname: Bobcats
Joined Southland: 1987

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5/2

The Southland Conference began with a historic meeting of five institutions in Dallas on March 15, 1963, that included current members Lamar University (then Lamar State College of Technology) and the University of Texas at Arlington (then Arlington State College), the Southland Conference set on an extraordinary course that has proven successful well into its fifth decade of existence.

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5/3

On July 1, 2006, the Southland Conference commemorated another milestone as the league membership reached 12, marking the largest configuration ever for the organization. The addition of the University of Central Arkansas and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi expanded the Southland into the Little Rock metro area and into the eighth largest city in Texas. UCA and A&M-Corpus Christi enhanced the Southland Conference in innumerable ways, including athletic and academic successes, strong and principled leadership, and strong fan support and media coverage.

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5/4

The membership of the Southland encompasses over 160,000 current students and an alumni base of approximately 700,000. Famous alums from Southland Conference schools include former President Lyndon B. Johnson (Texas State), CBS news anchor Dan Rather (Sam Houston State), U.S. Central Command general Tommy Franks (UT Arlington), NBA executive Joe Dumars (McNeese State), ABC news and sports anchor Robin Roberts (Southeastern Louisiana), country music star George Strait (Texas State), Major League Baseball stars Hunter Pence (UT Arlington), Kevin Millar (Lamar) and Ben Broussard (McNeese State), NBA legend Scottie Pippen (Central Arkansas), and actor Lou Diamond Phillips (UT Arlington).

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5/5

Southland Conference football ranks among the best Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) leagues in the nation, and enjoys an annual expectation of competing for the national championship with multiple teams advancing to the NCAA playoffs each year. In 2002 and 2003, McNeese State finished the regular season ranked No. 1 in the nation, and advanced to the 2002 national championship contest, the sixth such title game appearance since the league joined FCS in 1982. All told, Southland teams have played in 89 Division I playoff games in 26 years, winning 42 of the contests. Southland representatives advanced to the national semifinals two of the last four years and three of the last six.

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5/6

The Conference can lay claim to five national championships, including College Division championships through former members Arkansas State (1970, UPI) and Louisiana Tech (1972, National Football Foundation). Louisiana Tech also won the first-ever NCAA-sanctioned national title, winning the Division II playoffs in 1973. Tech followed that with the UPI’s Division II national championship in 1974. Louisiana-Monroe won the 1987 FCS national title.

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5/7

McNeese State, which has made 13 appearances in the national playoffs, tied for the fourth most all-time, played in the 1997 and 2002 NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision national championship games, while Stephen F. Austin played in the 1989 title game and has four playoff appearances. Northwestern State has played in six national playoffs, and advanced to the semifinals in 1998, while Sam Houston State has earned four trips to the postseason, including the semifinals in 2004, and Nicholls State has participated three times in the playoffs. Texas Stat, advanced to the semifinals in 2005, and returned to the playoffs again in 2008.

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5/8

The Southland has produced 149 football All-Americans during its history, and has sent such talent to the professional ranks including Miami’s Keith Davis (Sam Houston State), Miami’s Josh McCown (Sam Houston State), Buffalo’s Terrence McGee (Northwestern State), Kansas City’s B.J. Sams (McNeese State), Seattle’s Mike Green (Northwestern State), Cleveland’s Kenny Wright (Northwestern State), Indianapolis’ Chad Stanley (Stephen F. Austin), Green Bay’s Craig Nall (Northwestern State) Philadelphia’s Luke Lawton (McNeese State).

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5/9

In the 2008 NFL Draft, the league saw three players taken, the most since five were selected in the 2002 NFL Draft. The league had two players selected in the 2007 and 2006 NFL Drafts, and has seen 21 players taken in the NFL Draft since 2000.

Former NFL stars from the Southland include Fred Dean, who was inducted to the Professional Football Hall of Fame in 2008, becoming the first former Southland Conference player to earn induction in Canton, Bill Bergey, Stan Humphries, Fred Barnett, Roger Carr, Marvin Upshaw, Larry Centers, Kavika Pittman, Mike Barber, Bruce Collie, Tim McKyer, Pat Tilley, Jackie Harris, Eugene Seale, Bubby Brister, Billy Ryckman, Rafael Septien, Buford Jordan, Marcus Spears, Terrance Shaw and Ray Brown.

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5/10

SOUTHLAND CONFERENCE FOOTBALL HISTORY

1963

The Southland Conference is organized by five institutions: Abilene Christian College (Abilene Christian University), Arkansas State College (Arkansas State University), Arlington State College (University of Texas at Arlington), Lamar State College of Technology (Lamar University) and Trinity University.

1964

The Southland Conference begins football play as a member of the NAIA. Lamar wins inaugural championship with a 3-0-1 league mark and falls in the Pecan Bowl to Northern Iowa, 19-17.

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5/11

SOUTHLAND CONFERENCE FOOTBALL HISTORY

1965

Lamar repeats as Southland champion with a 3-1 mark (6-4 overall).

1966

Texas-Arlington and Lamar finish as co-champions with identical 3-1 marks.

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5/12

1967

Texas Arlington wins league with a perfect 4-0 record, and completes a 10-1 season with a 13-0 win over North Dakota State in the Pecan Bowl.

Trinity defensive end Marvin Upshaw becomes the first Southland Conference player to be selected in the first round of the NFL draft, the 21st overall selection by the Cleveland Browns.

1968

The Southland Conference begins competition in the NCAA’s College Division.

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5/13

1969

Arkansas State repeats as league champion, sweeping through the league at 4-0. ASU caps an 8-1-1 season with a win over Drake, 29-21, in the Pecan Bowl.

1970

NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP

Arkansas State wins the Southland title for the third straight year and finishes the season with a perfect 11-0 mark, winning the UPI College Division National Championship. ASU capped the year with a 38-21 win over Central Missouri State in the Pecan Bowl.

Arkansas State head coach Bennie Ellender is named the National Small College Coach of the Year by the American Football Coaches Association.

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5/14

1971

Louisiana Tech University and the University of Southwestern Louisiana (University of Louisiana at Lafayette) join the Southland Conference. Louisiana Tech, Trinity and Lamar share the championship with 4-1 records. Louisiana Tech caps a 9-2 season with a 14-3 win over Eastern Michigan in the Pioneer Bowl.

Trinity plays its final season and withdraws from the Southland Conference.

1972

NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP

Louisiana Tech wins its second straight championship with a 5-0 mark, and caps off a perfect 12-0 season with a 35-0 trouncing of Tennessee Tech in the Grantland Rice Bowl. The win gave Tech a claim to the College Division National Championship.

McNeese State University plays its first season in the Southland Conference. Abilene Christian plays its final season and withdraws from the Southland Conference.

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5/15

1973

NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP

Louisiana Tech again wins the league title with a 5-0 record on the way to a 12-1 season capped off by the first-ever NCAA football championship, winning the Division II title, 34-0, over Western Kentucky.

1974

NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP

Louisiana Tech wins its fourth consecutive league crown with a 5-0 mark on the way to an 11-1 overall record. Tech is declared UPI Division II National Champion.

Louisiana Tech wide receiver Roger Carr becomes the second Southland Conference player to be selected in the first round of the NFL draft, the 24th overall selection of the Baltimore Colts.

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5/16

1975

The Southland Conference begins play as an NCAA Division I league.

Arkansas State wins the league with a perfect 5-0 mark and rolls through the season with an 11-0 mark, one of two unbeaten, untied teams in Division I. Because of no postseason opportunities for Arkansas State, the Southland Conference and the city of Shreveport, La., develop the idea for the Independence Bowl, to be hosted by the Southland champion.

1976

McNeese State wins its first-ever Southland title with a 4-1 mark. The Cowboys finish the season 10-2 after a 20-16 win over Tulsa in the inaugural Independence Bowl.

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5/17

1977

Louisiana Tech claims its fifth Southland title with a 4-0-1 mark, and caps a 9-1-2 season with a 24-14 win over Louisville in the Independence Bowl.

1978

Louisiana Tech and Arkansas State share the title with 4-1 marks, and Louisiana Tech finishes a 6-5 season with a 35-13 loss to East Carolina in the Independence Bowl.

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5/18

1979

McNeese State wins its second Southland title with a 5-0 league mark. McNeese finishes with a 11-1 record, losing only to Syracuse, 31-7, in the Independence Bowl.

1980

McNeese State rolls to another undefeated 5-0 conference record for its second straight title. The Cowboys lose to Southern Miss, 16-14, in the final Independence Bowl hosted by the Southland champion.

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5/19

1981

Texas-Arlington wins its first league title in 14 years with a 4-1 league mark on the way to a 6-5 overall mark.

Louisiana-Lafayette plays its final season and withdraws from the Southland Conference.

1982

The Southland Conference is re-classified as an NCAA Division I-AA football league, and begins participation in the NCAA I-AA playoffs.

Northeast Louisiana University (University of Louisiana at Monroe) plays its first season in the Southland Conference.

Louisiana Tech claims its seventh Southland crown with a 5-0 mark, and finishes at 10-3 after advancing to the NCAA Division I-AA semifinals, falling to Delaware, 17-0.

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5/20

1983

North Texas State (University of North Texas) plays its first season in the Southland Conference, and responds by sharing the league title with Louisiana-Monroe with a 5-1 record. North Texas loses in the opening round of the Division I-AA playoffs at Nevada, 20-17, in overtime.

McNeese State defensive back Leonard Smith becomes the highest Southland Conference draft choice, taken as the 17th overall selection in the first round by the St. Louis Cardinals.

1984

NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

Louisiana Tech wins the championship with a 5-1 mark, and finishes a 10-5 season by falling in the Division I-AA National Championship to Montana State, 19-6.

Arkansas State also advances to the quarterfinals of the I-AA playoffs, falling at Montana State, 31-14.

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5/21

1985

Arkansas State claims the title with a 5-1 mark and advances to the quarterfinals of the I-AA playoffs, losing at Nevada, 24-23.

Texas-Arlington plays its final season due to discontinuing football, and withdraws from the Southland Conference. UTA returns to the league without football during the 1987-88 academic year.

1986

NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

Arkansas State wins its seventh league title with a perfect 5-0 record and completes a 12-2-1 season by advancing to the I-AA National Championship game.

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5/22

1987

NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP

Louisiana-Monroe runs through the Southland schedule at 6-0 and finishes a 13-2 season by winning the NCAA Division I-AA National Championship with a 43-42 win over Marshall.

North Texas advances to the I-AA playoffs.

Northwestern State University, Sam Houston State University, Southwest Texas State University and Stephen F. Austin State University play their first season in the Southland Conference.

Northwestern State running back John Stephens is selected 17th overall in the first round of the NFL Draft by New England, matching the highest draft selection in Southland Conference history (Leonard Smith, McNeese State, 17th pick, 1983).

1988

Northwestern State wins its first-ever Southland championship with a perfect 6-0 mark, and completes a 10-3 season by advancing to the quarterfinals of the I-AA playoffs.

For the first time, the Southland sends three teams to postseason play as Stephen F. Austin advances to the second round. North Texas also earns a playoff bid.

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5/23

1989

NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

Stephen F. Austin wins its first Southland championship with a 5-0-1 mark and completes a 12-2-1 season by advancing to the Division I-AA championship game.

1990

Louisiana-Monroe wins the league with a 5-1 mark, and finishes a 7-5 season after playing in the first round of I-AA playoffs.

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5/24

1991

McNeese State, at 4-1-2, and Sam Houston State, at 5-2, share the conference title by virtue of their identical .714 winning percentage. McNeese completes a 6-4-2 campaign.

Sam Houston State also earns its first-ever I-AA playoff bid taking Middle Tennessee to overtime.

Nicholls State University plays its first season in the Southland Conference.

1992

Louisiana-Monroe completes an undefeated 7-0 conference mark for its fourth league title. The Indians advance to the quarterfinals of the playoffs.

McNeese State also earns a I-AA playoff bid, advancing to the quarterfinals.

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5/25

1993

McNeese State rolls through the league undefeated at 7-0 and advances to the quarterfinals of the I-AA playoffs, losing to Troy State, 35-28.

For the second time in league history, three Southland teams earn I-AA playoff berths. Louisiana-Monroe falls in the first round of the playoffs to Idaho, 34-31, and Stephen F. Austin loses a first-round contest at Troy State, 42-20.

Louisiana-Monroe plays its final football season and withdraws its program from the Southland Conference. ULM's remaining sports continue to compete in the Southland.

1994

North Texas earns its second league crown with a 5-0-1 mark, but loses in the first round of the I-AA playoffs, 24-20.

McNeese State also receives a playoff bid, and the Cowboys advance to the quarterfinals.

North Texas plays its final season and withdraws from the Southland Conference.

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5/26

1995

McNeese State completes an undefeated league schedule at 5-0, and advances to the I-AA semifinals, losing to Marshall, 25-15.

Stephen F. Austin also receives a I-AA playoff berth, and also advances to the national semifinals, falling at Montana, 70-14.

1996

The Southland Football League, a seven-team entity formed by the remaining six Southland Conference football-playing institutions and Troy State University, is formed.

In its first year of Southland competition, Troy State wins the league with a 5-1 mark, and advances to the I-AA semifinals, falling at Montana, 70-7.

Nicholls State, completing a miraculous turnaround from an 0-11 season in 1995, finishes 8-4, and also receives a I-AA playoff bid, losing at Montana in the first round, 48-3.

Nicholls State head coach Darren Barbier wins the Eddie Robinson Award, signifying the National I-AA Coach of the Year

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5/27

1997

NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

McNeese State and Northwestern State share the Southland title with 6-1 records. McNeese concludes a 13-2 season by advancing to the I-AA National Championship game, falling to Youngstown State, 10-9.

Northwestern State also earns a I-AA playoff bid, losing at Eastern Washington in the first round, 40-10.

Jacksonville State University plays its first season in the Southland Football League.

1998

Northwestern State wins its third Southland title with a 6-1 record. The Demons advance to the I-AA national semifinals before falling to Massachusetts, 41-31.

The Southland again sends three teams to postseason play. McNeese State falls in the first round to Massachusetts, 21-19, and Troy State loses in the first round at Florida A&M, 27-17.

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5/28

1999

Troy State and Stephen F. Austin share the league crown at 6-1, and Troy State advances to the I-AA quarterfinals, losing to Florida A&M, 17-10.

Troy State defensive tackle Al Lucas wins the Buck Buchanan Award, signifying the nation's top defensive player in Division I-AA.

2000

Troy State wins its third Southland championship with a 7-0 record, and advances to the I-AA playoffs, falling to Appalachian State, 33-30.

Troy State plays its final season and withdraws from the Southland Football League.

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5/29

2001

Sam Houston State and McNeese State share the conference crown at 5-1. Sam Houston advances to the I-AA quarterfinals.

For the fourth time, the Southland sends three teams into postseason play. McNeese State plays Maine in the first round, and Northwestern State plays in the first round at Montana.

The year marks the final season of the Southland Football League. The SFL identity will be returned into the Southland Conference beginning with the 2002 season.

Sam Houston State head coach Ron Randleman records his 200th career coaching victory.

2002

NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

McNeese State wins its record ninth Southland championship with a 6-0 mark. McNeese advances to the I-AA National Championship game.

McNeese State head coach Tommy Tate is honored with the Eddie Robinson Award, signifying the National I-AA Coach of the Year.

Jacksonville State plays its final season and withdraws from the Southland Football League.

Southeastern Louisiana, a member of the Southland Conference in sports other than football, announces it will revive football after discontinuing the program in 1986. SLU will play two seasons as a I-AA independent before playing in the Southland in 2005.

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5/30

2003

The Southland Conference had an all-time high seven games broadcast on Fox Sports Net affiliates during the 2003 season. In addition, 10 other contests featuring at least one SLC team were aired on the College Sports Television (CSTV), The Football Network (TFN) and COX Sports Television outlets.

McNeese State completes an undefeated 5-0 conference mark for its third straight league title and 10th overall. The Cowboys end the season with a streak of 16 consecutive wins in league play.

For the second year in a row, McNeese State was the No. 1 seed in the postseason I-AA playoffs. The Cowboys were ranked No. 1 nationally all but one week during the regular season.

Tommy Tate of McNeese State was named AFCA Region V Coach of the Year.

2004

Sam Houston State capped a successful season in what would turn out to be the last for 36-year head coach Ron Randleman. The Bearkats had the best turn-around season in all of Division I football, going from 2-9 in 2003 to an 11-3 mark in 2004. SHSU recorded the most wins in school history and notched its third Southland Conference championship in school history. The Bearkats shared the 2004 title with Northwestern State as each compiled 4-1 league records.

Northwestern State received the Southland's automatic berth to the NCAA playoffs after winning the fourth regular-season title in school history.

SHSU used an at-large berth to the playoffs and advanced to the semifinal round of the tournament for the first time in school history. The Bearkats opened with an impressive 54-24 win over No. 3 Western Kentucky in round one. They then had to overcome a 20-point deficit in the fourth quarter to win, 35-34, at Eastern Washington in quarterfinal action.

The 2004 season marked the 12th time in the last 14 years the Southland Conference was represented by multiple teams in the 16-team NCAA I-AA playoff field. Sam Houston State and Northwestern State were duplicates from the 2001 playoffs in a year when the Southland sent three teams with McNeese State also advancing.

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5/31

2005

Southeastern Louisiana, a member of the league in all other sports since 1997, began Southland Conference football competition.

Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita wrecked havoc on the 2005 schedule before Texas State and Nicholls State shared the regular-season crown for the first SLC titles for either. The two advanced to the NCAA I-AA Playoffs with Texas State going all the way to the semifinals.

2006

With McNeese State off to a 1-3 start, the 2006 season looked to be in trouble for success. But a turnaround happened as Matt Viator was named head coach on Sept. 13, 2006.

Viator went on to lead the Cowboys to the NCAA championship playoffs by posting a 6-2 record in his partial season. He was named both the SLC Coach of the Year and the Louisiana Sports Writers Association Coach of the Year and was a finalist in the balloting for the national Football Championship Subdivision's Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year award.

McNeese State captured its 11th SLC regular-season title and fourth in the last six years by posting a 5-1 league record in 2006 to finish one game ahead of Sam Houston State and Stephen F. Austin.

SLC newcomer Central Arkansas posted the best overall record at 8-3, but did not play a Southland schedule.